TN: Palani's Murugan temple sees rush of devotees for Kumbabhishekam ceremony

Palani (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 27 : A large number of devotees gathered in large numbers at Sri Dhandayuthapani Swamy temple in Palani on Friday for grand Kumbabhishekam ceremony (consecration ceremony).
There was a tight security deployment on the temple premises to prevent any untoward incident.
Yaga pujas were performed prior to the consecration ceremony in a phased manner. The sixth and final one was performed on Thursday.
A helicoper hovered over the temple, showering petals on Rajagopuram, a golden plane, as well as the devotees who had thronged the premises for the consecration ceremony.
According to sources, 4,000 VIPs and 2,000 devotees were allowed to witness the consecration ceremony.
The Palani Murugan Temple in Palani town is a sacred pilgrimage site for the devotees of Lord Muruga. The temple is considered as the third of Lord Muruga's six houses and is revered for its spiritual and historical significance.
As a part of the ceremony to synergise the mystic powers of the deity, holy water was poured on the towers of various sub-shrines, including the gold tower and Rajagopuram. The ceremony included the recitation of twelve Thirumpi, Kandar Anubhuthi, and Thirupugakal mantras.
However, the temple administration announced that certain rituals such as 'Kala Pooja' and 'Thangaratha' departure will not take place from January 24-27.
The devotees for the consecration ceremony were selected trough an online lottery system.
The Kumbabhishekam is an elaborate and important event that is held once in twelve years. The last Kumbabhishekam ceremony at the Palani Murugan Temple was held 17 years ago.
The ceremony has generated a lot of excitement among the devotees.
Despite the pandemic restrictions in place, devotees were seen seeking the blessings of Lord Muruga. After the Kumbabhishekam ceremony, the temple will revert to its regular visiting hours for devotees and will be open for darshan for all.